During Robert's childhood, his father was Attorney General of New Jersey, in which role he prosecuted Bruno Hauptmann for the kidnapping and murder of Charles Lindbergh Jr., one of the highest profile criminal cases in American history.
Apart from his jurisprudence, Wilentz openly sought to use the structural role of Chief Justice to expand access to New Jersey courts.
[1] In 1986, was reappointed as chief justice in 1986 by Republican Governor Thomas Kean, but there was a confirmation battle in the New Jersey Senate.
After a contentious debate that involved charges of judicial activism and criticism of Wilentz's residence in Manhattan, where his wife was undergoing treatment for cancer, the Chief Justice was confirmed for a second term by a vote of 21 to 19.
[1] Perhaps the most notable[1] opinion Wilentz authored as Chief Justice was Southern Burlington County NAACP v. Township of Mount Laurel, 92 N.J. 158 (1983).
In Mount Laurel II, Chief Justice Wilentz found that towns must take affirmative action to construct low-income housing, through subsidies, tax breaks, and a presumption of approval for building plans.
[a] Among Wilentz's proposed judicial remedies in Mount Laurel II was the so-called "builder’s remedy": if a municipality did not have a realistic, implementable plan to meet the Mount Laurel requirements, a builder could sue to have courts override the local government and directly grant zoning approval.